About the Program

The Retrouvaille Program is for Married Couples Struggling in their Relationship

The Challenge of Marriage in Today's Society

This program is for couples with marital problems that want marriage help. Those who are considering marriage separation and those who are already separated or divorced are encouraged to consider the Retrouvaille Program. There is always hope of reviving your relationship.

Some couples come to Retrouvaille during the initial signs of a marriage problem. Other couples are in a state of despair and hopelessness when they attend the program.

Many lawyers and judges send couples to Retrouvaille as a prerequisite to filing for a divorce or rendering final decisions. Many marriage counselors and family therapists send their clients to Retrouvaille as a prerequisite to counseling. These professionals know that the tools of communication in marriage taught in the program are often what couples need.

The Retrouvaille program is for husbands and wives and is not designed nor intended for couples in a co-habitating relationship.

Retrouvaille is a Three-Phase Program:

Phase 1: The Retrouvaille Weekend Experience

Retrouvaille begins with a weekend experience in which couples are helped to re-establish communication and to gain new insights into themselves as individuals and as a couple. Weekends are typically held at either a local hotel or a retreat facility. This part of the program is presented by three couples and a priest or minister team. The presenting team has experienced disillusionment, pain, and conflict in their own lives and offer hope as they share their personal struggles of reconciliation and healing.

You will find courage and strength in the realization that you are not alone in your struggle. You will not be asked to share your problems with anyone else. However, you will be encouraged to put the past behind you and to look beyond the hurt and pain, in order to rediscover each other in a new and positive way. The Retrouvaille Weekend provides tools to help couples with communication, forgiveness, and trust. It teaches a dialogue process of meaningful communication.

The weekend is not a spiritual retreat, not a marriage encounter or marriage seminar. Although it does have characteristics of each of these, the weekend offers so much more. The team presents a technique of communication that enables you to take a good look at many areas of your relationship. The team does not provide marriage advice, but does provide practical tools and a living example of how using these tools will improve your marriage. They will share how they were able to benefit from these techniques themselves. After each presentation, you will have a chance for reflection and discussion in complete privacy with your spouse.

Phase 2: The Post Weekend Sessions

A series of follow-up sessions is the next important phase of the Retrouvaille healing process. The hurt and pain of a struggling marriage cannot be healed in a single weekend experience.

The Post Sessions include a series of 2-hour talks by additional couples that expand on the weekend concepts. Each Retrouvaille community establishes the Post schedule, over either a 6 or 12-week period. Most couples, without a doubt, find this to be one of the most productive components of the program and where the most growth in the marriage occurs.

The weekend is not a ‘miracle cure'; therefore, the post-weekend sessions have been designed to continue the marriage renewal begun on the weekend. The post-weekend phase is as crucial, maybe more critical, to the healing of marriage problems. During the post-weekend sessions, the technique learned on the weekend is further developed and is used to explore additional areas of the marriage relationship.

Phase 3: Monthly Support (CORE)

The final phase is a monthly small-group support meeting, called CORE (Continuing Our Retrouvaille Experience). It allows for a casual and supportive interaction with other couples who have attended the Retrouvaille program. This monthly meeting continues to reinforce the communication tools learned on the weekend and it is a positive and welcoming space that allows couples to form strong and lasting bonds as they continue to heal their marriages.

How is this program like marriage encounter?

As our friends in Marriage Encounter like to say, Marriage Encounter is for couples with good marriages who want to make them even better. Retrouvaille is for couples who have lemlems and need marriage help.

A good analogy is that Marriage Encounter is like getting a tune-up for your car and Retrouvaille is like getting a complete engine overhaul.

How is this program like a Marriage Seminar or Marriage Retreat?

In a setting that appears like a marriage seminar at times the team presents a technique of communication that enables you to take a good look at most areas of your relationship. After each presentation you will have a chance to reflect on it by yourself, then discuss it in complete privacy with your spouse.

The weekend is not a 'miracle cure'; therefore, the post-weekend sessions have been designed to continue the marriage help and renewal begun on the weekend. The post-weekend phase is as crucial, maybe more critical, to the healing of marriage problems. During the post-weekend sessions, the technique learned on the weekend is further developed and is used to explore additional areas of the marriage relationship.

What kind help can we expect from the program if not marriage advice?

The team presents a technique of communication that enables you to take a good look at most areas of your relationship. After each presentation you will have a chance to reflect on it by yourself, then discuss it in complete privacy with your spouse.

The weekend is not a 'miracle cure'; therefore, the post-weekend sessions have been designed to continue the marriage renewal begun on the weekend. The post-weekend phase is as crucial, maybe more critical, to the healing of marriage problems. During the post-weekend sessions, the technique learned on the weekend is further developed and is used to explore additional areas of the marriage relationship.

The Retrouvaille program is more like a marriage seminar or classroom setting. The program is given by couples who have faced extreme marital difficulties themselves and needed marriage help. Most of the presenting team members have been to the brink of divorce themselves; attended this program, learned and used its tools. They will share their stories of how it is possible to save what might appear to be a hopeless marriage. They will share the tools that they used to turn their own marriages around and then they will teach you how to use those tools yourself

What kind of marriage help will we receive?

Some couples come to Retrouvaille during the initial signs of marriage problems. Other couples are in a state of despair and hopelessness when they attend the program. These latter couples often consider the Retrouvaille program their final option.

The program is given by couples who have faced extreme marital difficulties themselves and needed marriage help. Most of the presenting team members have been to the brink of divorce themselves; attended this program, learned and used its tools. They will share their stories of how it is possible to save what might appear to be a hopeless marriage.

Many lawyers and judges send couples to Retrouvaille as a prerequisite to filing for a divorce or rendering final decisions. Many marriage counselors send their clients to Retrouvaille as a prerequisite to marriage counseling. These professionals know that the tools of communication in marriage taught in the program are often what couples need.

What kind of marriage problems does this program help?

The program has helped couples with many different kinds of marriage problems. Some couples come to Retrouvaille during the initial signs of a marriage problem. Other couples are in a state of despair and hopelessness when they attend the program. These latter couples often consider the Retrouvaille program their final option.

The types of problems couples deal with include the full range of issues from apparently irreconcilable differences and incompatibilities to infidelity and addictions. Retrouvaille is not a replacement for marriage counseling, therapists and 12 Step programs. Rather, this program compliments these other resources.

Many lawyers and judges send couples to Retrouvaille as a prerequisite to filing for a divorce or rendering final decisions. Many marriage counselors send their clients to Retrouvaille as a prerequisite to marriage counseling. These professionals know that the tools of communication in marriage taught in the program are often what couples need.

How is this program like marriage counseling?

This program considers itself a compliment to marriage counseling and not a replacement for it. In marriage counseling you meet privately with a therapist. You share your struggles and difficulties with the marriage counselor. The therapist provides marriage advice and helps you learn other ways of dealing with those marriage problems.

The Retrouvaille program is more like a marriage seminar or classroom setting. The program is given by couples who have faced extreme marital difficulties themselves and needed marriage help. Most of the presenting team members have been to the brink of divorce themselves; attended this program, learned and used its tools. They will share their stories of how it is possible to save what might appear to be a hopeless marriage. They will share the tools that they used to turn their own marriages around and then they will teach you how to use those tools yourself.

What will we get that we won't get from marriage counselors?

This program considers itself a compliment to marriage counselors and therapists and not a replacement for them. Marriage counselors meet privately with you. You share your struggles and difficulties with them. The therapist provides marriage advice and helps you learn other ways of dealing with those marriage problems.

The Retrouvaille program is more like a marriage seminar or classroom setting. The program is given by couples who have faced extreme marital difficulties themselves and needed marriage help. Most of the presenting team members have been to the brink of divorce themselves; attended this program, learned and used its tools. They will share their stories of how it is possible to save what might appear to be a hopeless marriage. They will share the tools that they used to turn their own marriages around and then they will teach you how to use those tools yourself.